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maybe he has just been up against quick defenders or he may have slowed down a little so that its easier for him to control the ball or so that its easier for his team mates to keep up so he has someone to aim passes/crosses at

I'm not having a go either, but he seems more reluctant to run at defenders these days, true Man City pinned him and Sagna back for quite a while.

- until Wenger moves on, they'll always be the also-rans in the major competitions. A club in elite purgatory. Always good enough to make it to the big race, never fast or smart enough to push over the finish line in first place. That's all about the manager. Until he changes, Arsenal fans will continue to celebrate glorious failure.

Clichy is supposed to be extremely quick. Unless you are seconds quicker than someone else over 100m half a second isnt going to be much over 20 yards.
ive never seen anyone 'burn clichy' in fact there was a epl speed test done a few years ago where clichy was in the top 10 but i dont recall lennon being there. theo was top.

By slowing down he will beat his man. He'll have more control. And it's all about changing pace quickly not about running quickly. If he's running close to full speed before he engages a defender who is keeping up, then he'll never go past.

Henry was a master at slowing the defenders down, and then bursting past them at the right time. Theo is hopefully learning to do this.

Anyway, whatever he's been doing, it has been working because he has been looking like an actual football player when he gets the ball in the last few games. He's been a lot more confident on the ball and I think he's been playing well. And I have been one of his biggest critics in the last few years.

De TimesHe's maturing, taking on players, and running only when he has to.

What a load of bulls.hit, everyone knows that Theo struggles to take anyone on one-on-one (without a sprint/run at it) and when he's relative static he's an easy target for any defender. He's a f.ucking Larry-let-down, so stop building the fiftypercenter up!

This is not a subjective list. Based on facts. Im not saying you have to believe it to be the truest measure of speed over a distance in the EPL but its not 'made up' or subjective as saying 'Aaron Lennon is faster than Clichy' without something to back it up.
This wasnt compiled over optimal conditions in a flat 100m race, this was compiled using speed tests conducted during matches.
For a more updated list compiled by EA sports, it shows Wilshere as the fastest in match days.
Of course we can all manipulate data or draw conclusions that differ wildly from the same data. The point is Walcott isnt significantly faster than Clichy to consistantly outpace him when Clichy has the head start.
And im still waiting for this evidence that Lennon 'consistantly burned' Clichy.

Jens- did you read my post? Its not about those facts. And facts cant be wrong, thats why they call them facts.
Its what you derive from the facts that can be interpreted subjectively as a true measure or not.

Sol at 'top speed' could easily be quicker than cole or clichy, but over 20 yards sol is outstripped because of decreased acceleration.

Again im not saying you have to read too much into that list but it was compiled over 2 seasons not over 1 summer tournament.

The point was that there is enough objective evidence to show that the speed difference between clichy and walcott is not going to as great as against other defenders so to suggest this as a basis of comparison is non sensical.

Okay okay. Lets dial it back. I just put up that list as a illustration. I know you cant trust it 100% because unless you did speed trials on every player in the epl over varying distances there is no objective way to say who is faster etc.

The point i was making seems to have been glossed over by this list which is partly my fault.

Walcott is very fast. Clichy is very fast. In a head to head im pretty sure Walcott will beat Clichy (he did over 40 yards at Arsenal)
But if you gave Clichy a 2 yard head start over 15 yards, I dont think Walcott is quick enough to beat him every time.
Thats the point.

Well, that's one of the points. I understand that and I don't have any problem with it.

My point is that just because something's in a list and they say they've got data, doesn't make it the bible. Because I guarantee you that list is no more an indication of player speed than Fifa's that Rob provided.

Still cant get over most you guys, all you seem to be talking about is sprinting. Four points other than sprinting you ought to know about:

1. wally can only genarally beat a man when running at full tilt A). when the ball is floated over or passed by the defender when he is already sprinting towards the defender with a decent run-up
2. Most of the time Wally runs straight into the defender
3. Most of the time Wally falls over
4. And like 'Where's Wally' book character, you have trouble finding the f.ucker for long periods of the match

And ive never said that it is the bible. I specifically said its open to interpretation.

I study statistics and research so I know how things can be interpreted. Using similar formulas to calculate speed, taking data over 2 seasons DOES make it more reliable than over 1 tournament.

This is a fact (or as close to as)- Sol Campbell has reached a speed of 22.50mph during game time.
Whether you think he is fast or not is a matter of opinion. Whether you think this is an indication of speed is also a matter of opinion, not fact.

3. I'm going to say that my data is from the Castrol Rankings website. For credibility.

4. I'm going to hit "Sort by Speed" in Fifa '12.

There's my list!

So no Zainy, what you posted aren't facts unless you get them verified. And I'll not be told I'm just being "subjective" because I've seen Cesc outpaced by players in relegation sides, and that you're being "objective" because you found a list on a website with cartoons. And that, that somehow gives you more credibility.

The Theo v. Clichy point is well taken and I think you're right, but please. Spare me your facts if that's the best you're going to do.

Jens I suggest you do a bit of work before having a go at me. Many websites and newspapers picked up that list with direct reference to Castro. So no you cant do the above and past it off as the same.
Liable is a word that would be bandied about if you had done what you said.

Whether or not its deemed accurate is debatable, and id certaily not hold it as the most accurate measure. But no matter what you say, your views are still subjective. As are mine. I merely put out facts as an illustration.

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